It’s clear that our world is rapidly moving into a world steeped in digital technology. Even now, we all carry mobile devices with us everywhere we go. This has led to making telehealthcare more accessible than ever before. Telehealthcare has been available for decades, nearly since the invention of the telephone. However, the rise of the pandemic and the prevalence of high-speed data and video calling have revolutionized its use. While it’s far from being a standard of care, it’s quickly becoming a commonly available service at many clinics. Even orthodontic care has gotten into the world of telehealth, and we’ll explain how.
Telehealth: From Phone Check-ins To Teledentistry
It has long been the ambition of healthcare providers everywhere to ensure that those who need it have access to care. For many areas of the medical industry, this has been used to help make getting care easier for those with mobility issues. For decades, the elderly and disabled were the focus of this kind of care. When the pandemic came along, it quickly became clear that teledentistry could reduce transmission rates without impacting care for patients.
There are numerous consequences to not receiving proper oral health care, and they go beyond having a beautiful smile. Tooth decay can be painful to endure and can impact our ability to speak and eat properly. Gum disease can lead to lasting oral health concerns and can even lead to life-threatening conditions. This latter is often the result of an abscess that has formed in the gums and gone without treatment for a long time. It’s an uncommon but definite risk.
Studies have also produced evidence that there are other consequences to having poor oral health. It can impact our performance in our careers, cause us difficulties in academic pursuits, and even heighten our risks of other conditions. Cardiopulmonary disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, and congestive heart failure risks are all increased in patients with poor oral health. Considering that nearly half of Americans are without dental insurance, this is a very real and present problem. It also happens to be one that teledentistry may be able to help.
There are millions of patients throughout the United States who need dental care. While some of them struggle with a lack of dental insurance, others don’t have local providers available. Communicating with their dentists via video calling and other teledental options can be of great help. It’s even possible to receive comprehensive orthodontic care without needing to visit the office.
Teledentistry eases access to care in the following ways:
- A dental professional is able to provide care remotely
- No worries about transportation time or getting to the office
- Reduces need to take time off of work or school for care
- Rural areas are better able to receive dental care
As dental technology moves forward each year, more and more teledental services are available to patients everywhere.
Request Teledental Options From Your Dentist
While teledental services are growing in availability, it pays to reach out to your dentist to determine if they offer these services.
